Quick Answer: What Is the Jino Sun-Drum Dance?
The Jino (基诺族, Jīnuòzú) great drum dance (大鼓舞, dàgǔwǔ) is documented in villages in the Jino Mountain area near Jinghong, Yunnan. The sun drum (太阳鼓, tàiyánggǔ) has wooden rods around its edge that resemble rays. The dance is associated with the festival of Temaoke (特懋克, Tèmàokè).[1][2]
- A drummer can play while moving.[1]
- Other performers can contribute song, dance and cymbals.[1]
- The sun-like outline comes from the rods around the drum.[2]
The instrument provides both a visual focus and the beat.
The large round face is one of the drum’s identifying features. Look at the rim and then listen for how the other performers join the drummer.
Why the Drum Looks Like a Sun
Thin rods project from around the drum, making a radiating outline. The drum also has ceremonial significance. In a Jino creation story, a drum shelters people from disaster. That story helps explain the drum’s role in community remembrance.[2][4]
How Sound and Movement Work Together
The national record describes a performer beating the drum while dancing, with others adding cymbals, song and movement. The sung words can carry accounts of the past and customary behavior.[1] The radiating rods offer a visible distinction from the flared base of Dai elephant-foot drums.
Temaoke and Public Performances
Temaoke is a major setting for the dance. China included the great drum dance in its first national list of intangible cultural heritage in 2006.[1] A 2019 report also documents a performance for visitors in the Jino Mountain area.[3] For another kind of collective dance in Yunnan, see Jingpo Manau in Dehong.
FAQs About Jino Sun-Drum Dance
Why is it called a sun drum?
The wooden rods around the rim look like rays around a sun.[2]
Does the performance include singing?
Singing and other percussion can accompany the drummer and dancers.[1]
Which festival is associated with it?
The record identifies Temaoke as an important festival for the dance.[1]
Sources
[1] China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum. Jino great drum dance
[2] China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum. Traditional music and dance showcase
[3] Xinhua. Drum culture in southwest China
[4] National Ethnic Affairs Commission. Jino customs